Date: 7/22/19
Lesson #32
Title: Meditate upon things worthy of virtue and praise
• “Special Notes” and “Scripture” are shown as endnotes.
• NIV Bible is used throughout unless noted otherwise.
Scripture: (Philippians 4:8-9, NIV)
8Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Introduction
In our study of Philippians thus far, Paul has told his Philippian friends that they should empty their minds of fear and anxiety and anything else that will detract from their pilgrimage of faith. Now he gives them a list of virtues they should think about and meditate on. Paul’s selection of the eight virtues mentioned in the eighth verse should not be seen as an attempt to list all possible virtues. Rather, we have here examples of the kinds of things that should fill our minds: that which is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and whatever is of good report, or is excellent. Wise people for thousands of years have expressed the idea that we are what we think about. Let us think prayerfully and thoughtfully on the kind Paul has listed here, and with God’s help, these will become a natural part of our day-to-day living.
Paul then follows the virtue-packed sentence with a challenge to action. “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you” (4:9). We are to focus all our energy on being and doing. First, our minds are to be flooded with Christian virtues; then we are to act, to be, to do. The Christian faith, for Paul, is both thoughtful because it is grounded in Jesus Christ, who is the truth, and it is active because it involves journeying with Christ who is alive and active Himself.
In this passage, the apostle explains the method of true teaching. He speaks of the things the Philippians have learned. These are the things in which He personally instructed them. This includes his personal interpretation of the gospel which Paul brought to them. He speaks of the things which the Philippians had received, that is, the fixed Christian tradition as it was at that time. This then stands for the accepted teaching of the Church which Paul had handed on to them.
Commentary
(4:8) Finally (or, in conclusion), brothers and sisters (= fellow believers, my family), whatever is true (or, as many things as are genuine and real), whatever is noble (serious; respectable; dignified by holiness; awe-inspiring), whatever is right (put right; fair; equitable; just; in right relationship with the way pointed out), whatever is pure (Innocent; affection inducing; friendly; directed toward what is liked); whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Finally, brothers and sisters,
The human mind will always set itself on something and Paul wanted to be quite sure that the Philippians would always set their minds on the right things. This is something that is very important, because it is a law of life that, “if a man thinks of something often enough, he will come to the stage when he cannot stop thinking about it.” His thoughts will be quite literally in a rut which he cannot jerk them out of. It is therefore of prime importance that a man should set his thoughts upon the fine things and Paul makes a list of them.
Believers should keep on doing and thinking of what is morally and spiritually excellent. This involves centering their minds on exalted things and then (v. 9) putting into practice what they have already learned from Paul’s teaching and example.
Here (v. 8) Paul has set forth in memorable words a veritable charter for Christian thought. Although this beautiful list of virtues is not exclusively Christian, we need not suppose that Paul has borrowed it from pagan moralists. All the words are found in the Greek versions of the Old Testament, and most of them occur elsewhere in the New Testament.
whatever is true,
There are things that are “true,” and true includes both speech and fact. It has the sense of whatever is valid, reliable, genuine, real, and honest? the opposite of false. It characterizes God (Rom. 3:4) and should also characterize believers. Whatever is true must be understood in the widest sense of all that is true in thought, word, and deed. Many things in this world are deceptive and elusive, promising what they can never deliver, offering a phony peace and happiness which they can never supply. A man should always set his thoughts on things that will not let him down.
As the Christian is a child of God, an heir of heaven, a brother of the Lord Jesus, a fellow-citizen with the angels, the salt of the earth, and the light of the world, the master and teacher of all men, it is clear that such must obligate him to maintain a holy and serious demeanor; and that he could not fall in with the opposite vices, without betraying his honor, causing a scandal and contradicting his profession.
Whatever is noble,
There are other translations that use a different word? honest, reverend, worthy, awe-inspiring, serious, respectable, dignified by holiness, honorable, venerable (in the sense of worthy of honor). Noble is the word that is characteristically used when referring to the gods and the temples of the gods. When used to describe a man, it describes a person who, as it has been said, moves throughout the world as if it were the temple of God. But the word literally describes “that which has the dignity of holiness upon it.” There are things in this world that are flippant and cheap and attractive to the light-minded, but it is on the things which are serious and dignified that the Christian will set his mind.
Whatever is right (just),
There are things that are “right.” Right refers to what is upright or just, fair, equitable, gives men their due, conformable to God’s standards and thus, worthy of His approval. The Greeks defined the man who is “right” as he who gives to gods and men what is their due. There are those who set their minds on pleasure, comfort and easy ways. The Christian’s thoughts are on duty to man and duty to God.
“Wrong thinking leads to wrong feeling and before long the heart and mind is pulled apart and we are strangled by worry.” We must realize that thoughts are real and powerful, even though they cannot be seen, weighed, or measured. We must bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).
whatever is pure,
There are things that are “pure,” not merely chaste, but pure in the most comprehensive sense. Pure describes what is morally undefiled, innocent and in some contexts the more restricted sense of chaste. When the word is used ceremonially, it describes that which has been so cleansed that it is fit to be brought into the presence of God, and used in His service. The world is full of things that are sordid and shabby and soiled and smutty. Many men get their mind in such a state that it soils everything of which it thinks. The Christian’s mind is set on things that are pure; his thoughts are so clean that they can stand even the scrutiny of God.
whatever is lovely,
There are things which translators have called “lovely” (friendly, directed toward what is liked, agreeable, well-regarded, engendering, kindly disposed, loveable, attractive, winsome) and it might be paraphrased as that which calls forth love. There are those whose minds are so set on vengeance and punishment that they cause bitterness and fear in others. There are those whose minds are so set on criticism and rebuke that they bring about resentment in others. The mind of the Christian is set on the lovely things? kindness, sympathy, forbearance? so he is a winsome person? to see him is to love him.
The apostle is speaking of only those things which are not contrary to the will of God, while at the same time they are agreeable and pleasing to men. I would place in this class such things as patience, cheerfulness, sweetness of temper, generosity, and similar virtues. All virtues are beautiful and excellent in themselves, and deserve the approbation and respect of men, for they are all emanations from God and the fruits of His Spirit, nevertheless, there are some more pleasing than others.
Whatever is admirable—
There are those things which are “admirable,” of good report, gracious, high-toned, whatever has a good name, winning, commendable, renowned, of good report, and is fair-speaking. It may not be going too far to say that it describes those things which are fit for God to hear. There are far too many ugly words and false words and impure words in this world. On the lips and in the mind of the Christian there should only be words that are fit for God to hear. Thus, “whatever is admirable” would involve expressing what is kind and likely to win people, and avoiding what is likely to offend people.
If anything is excellent or praiseworthy—
Suddenly, Paul switches the sentence structure to conditional clauses? If anything is . . .”?a rhetorical device that forces the reader to exercises his own discernment and choose what is “excellent” and “praiseworthy.” By switching to conditional clauses, Paul directs the Philippians to exercise their own discernment in approving things that are morally excellent and worthy of public acclaim (praiseworthy). Paul knows that if we continually center our minds on such thoughts as these, we shall live like Christians.
If there are things that are “excellent or praiseworthy.” Think of your past life, at its very highest, to spur you on to the new heights of the Christian way. The world has its impurities and degradations, but it also has its nobilities and its chivalries, and it is of the high things that a Christian must think. But to think about these things means more than just meditating on them. Paul wants us to do more than just think about them because the mind is the root of all human actions. It is the mind that influences the will, stirs up the affections, and conceives and produces every action. He, therefore, would have the act follow the intention. For it is not merely to indulge the mind in the pleasure of vain speculations that we are to exercise ourselves in this lofty study, but rather that we may put in practice all that we have understood. Didn’t James write, “But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22)?
The apostle asks the Philippians, “Is there any excellence and nobleness (braveness, courage, good character, quality, self-restraint, magnificence, benevolence, reliability) in them”? And if there is any praise applied (expression of high evaluation; honor paid; approval or applause [to them], be habitually thinking about these things in a logical way (repeatedly make these things the focus of careful consideration and analysis; continuously take these things into account.)!
Finally, Paul says, “If there is anything praiseworthy.” In one sense it is true that the Christian never thinks of the praise of men, but in another sense, it is true that every good man is uplifted by the praise of good men. So Paul says that the Christian will live in such a way that he will neither conceitedly desire nor foolishly despise the praise of men.
Think about such things
You may have wondered as many others have, “Why did Paul urge his readers to “think about” or take into account such ethical values? It could be that he recognized that so many spiritual problems and difficulties in mental health would be solved for Christians if they would follow Paul’s exhortations in verses 4-8.
The Christians in Philippi, under the stress of persecution, were tending to be blind to what is good in the pagan life all around them. They may even have asked Paul what attitude they should adopt to such pagan moral ideals. This verse gives us Paul’s answer and it is worthy of him: “Take account of what is good,” he is saying, “wherever you find it.”
Paul’s List of virtues in verse 8 assumes that the world contains many good qualities that merit the believer’s consideration and affirmation. It also assumes that the pagan world has some notion of good and bad, right and wrong, duty and irresponsibility, beauty and ugliness, honor and shame. Paul assumes, in other words, that absolute moral standards exist, that people other than Jews and Christians have affirmed them and that the believer can benefit from pondering examples of them wherever they occur, even in the pagan world.
Within the present climate of moral relativity, the modern church would do well to reaffirm this theological principle. Christian standards of morality and beauty are not simply expressions of subjective feelings but truths graciously revealed from God for the welfare of His people and all of creation. People other than Christians frequently recognize their validity and when they do, Christians should support them, learn from them, and take comfort that what they acknowledge to be right on the basis of God’s Word the rest of the world acknowledges to be right on the basis of their own understanding of how the world and society function best
Christians would be remiss, however, if they allowed the unbelieving world to guide their ethical decisions. Elsewhere Paul acknowledges that because of the insidious effects of sin, unbelievers are often misguided about right and wrong? indeed, so misguided that they often worship the creature rather than the Creator, and seek human intimacy in precisely the wrong places (Rom. 1:21-27). Moreover, even when they retain a clear understanding of right and wrong, they are often incapable of doing it (Rom. 1:28-32; Phil. 215).
What an admonition for life Paul has given us here in this verse! These eight things should be our focus? and we should make a careful analysis of each of them and give them careful consideration while habitually thinking logically about the following:
1) Things that are true, real, and genuine
2) Things that are awe-inspiring
3) Things that point in the right direction (toward Christ, who is the Way pointed out) and are in relationships that are fair, equitable and just
4) Things that are pure, having no ulterior motive mixed in
5) Things that induce affection are friendly and loveable, etc.
6) Things that are commendable and have a good reputation
7) Things that are excellent and noble, along with the virtues parenthetically listed
8) Things that evoke approval and high evaluation
We see nothing negative in that list. These things engender peace and love and keep us in a helpful mind. We may clothe our minds and hearts with the Christians camouflage, which is God, of which Paul spoke in Eph. 6:11-17, as a defense against all the negative things which the world’s systems throw at us.
(4:9) Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace (or: And God, the source and quality of peace [= shalom]); will be with you.
At this verse, Paul turns from pagan morals to his own teaching (4:9) ?“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me?put into practice.” Since Paul himself had been their teacher and example, what they had learned from him, they were to keep on practicing.
Paul goes on to tell them to copy what they have heard or seen in him. Tragically few preachers and teachers can speak like that, yet it is still true today that personal example is an essential part of teaching. The teacher must demonstrate by his actions the truth which he expresses in words.
“Learned or received” refer to their instruction in the gospel traditions which he had handed down to them with all the authority of an apostle (1 Cor. 11:2, 15:1; Gal. 1:9; 1 Thess. 4:1, 2; 2 Thess. 2:15). It describes the Philippians’ instruction by Paul, from whom they had been taught Christian doctrine and Christian living.
“Heard and seen” refer to their personal observation of the apostle both in word and deed.
“put it into practice”
Paul presents his own teaching and example as a pattern for the Philippians to follow. If they actually do what he says, the God of peace will be with them. Not only the peace of God (v. 7) but God Himself.
And the God of peace will be with you.
The certain result from following Paul’s exhortations would be that the God of peace? the God who is the author and source of peace? would be with them. By this, the apostle was not implying that they would be forsaken by God if they fell short, but that rather the full experience of God’s presence as the ‘God of peace would be their portion, and with His presence would come the peace of God mentioned in verse 7.
“The peace of God” is one test of whether or not we are in the will of God. “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful” (Col. 3:15). If we are walking with the Lord, then the peace of God and the “God of peace” exercise their influence over our hearts. Whenever we disobey, we lose that peace and we know we have done something wrong. God’s peace is the umpire that calls us “out”!
In all of this, Paul’s own painful situation of being a prisoner? with its many frustrations and limitations? gave him a platform on which to present his exhortation. If Paul could experience the peace of God as a prisoner, how much more should the Philippians be able to do so with their freedom? This portion of scripture should be often in the mind and thinking of Christians, in a troubled world with many troubled hearts.
Right praying, right thinking, and right living; these are the conditions for having a secure mind and victory over worry. There is no middle ground. Either we yield heart and mind to the Spirit of God and practice right praying, thinking and living or we yield to the flesh and find ourselves torn apart by worry.
There is no need to worry! And worry is a sin! (Have you read Matthew 6:24-34 lately?). With the peace of God to guard us and the God of Peace to guide us? why worry?
Final Thoughts
It is safe to assume that this list of Paul’s is not definitive but is representative of the types of things a believer should focus his or her mind on. The implication of the verb used to conclude verse 8 (think) is that our minds should continually be thinking about these kinds of things. Paul is saying that the virtues here are not only to be pondered and reflected on, but practiced, and practiced in the context of the gospel and of faith in Christ. Christians should nevertheless not forget that the touchstone of what is true and good is the Word of God and that every moral expression within the wider unbelieving world should be measured against the standard of the gospel as preserved in scripture.
